1044 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



in which case refer to it by page and number. "Write down, also, every 

 trait and characteristic, even to the minutest, inchiding feeding and 

 thriving qualities ; it will save you much care and vexation in future. If 

 you are breeding sheep, preserve samples of the wool from year to year, 

 and attach to the samples a record of weights, with comparison of quality 

 from year to year, and one fleece with another. Thus, on all occasions, 

 you may satisfy not only yourself, but any buyer as to the quality of 

 your herd. Even with ordinary flocks, a carefully kept register of name, 

 age, characteristics, and quality will be found useful. 



VIII. Management and Training of Rams. 



Rams should be trained to docility and obedience, and this is not diffi- 

 cult to do. They should never be allowed to run with the flock of ewes, 

 but should have separate pastures and enclosures, clean and comfortable, 

 and entirely disconnected from the flocks. They should be trained to 

 lead and to be handled; and if more than twenty ewes are to be served 

 during the season, the ram should have extra feed and care for at least 

 six weeks before tupping time. One hundred and fifty ewes have been 

 served by a single ram during an extended season, but under the best of 

 keeping less than 100 is better than over that number. Do not let a ram 

 serve more than two or three ewes in the beginning of the season, in- 

 creasing the number to five, and even ten, if necessity demands. As the 

 season approaches the close, restrict him again to a small number, for an 

 exhausted male cannot get strong progeny. To keep the reproductive 

 powers in full vigor, daily exercise must be kept up. There is more in 

 this than many persons imagine. 



IX. Pasturage for Sheep. 



Sheep eat a variety of vegetation other than the true grasses. They 

 are fond of many weeds, and if allowed they will soon reduce the weeds 

 that spring up after harvest. All the pasture grasses are natural to sheep, 

 except those, like Timothy, which close feeding is apt to kill. Blue 

 grass, orchard grass, the fescues, red- top, rye grass, etc., may be the 

 main dependence for sheep; clovers they do not like so well. In pastur- 

 ing ewes with lambs it is well to have spaces through which the lambs 

 can pass, and yet which will not permit the egress of the ewes. In Eng- 

 land these are called iamb creeps; this arrangement often enables the 

 lambs to get much succulent food outside, and they do no damage to 

 crops. In fact, sheep are often turned into corn-fields, and other hoed 

 crops, late in the season, to eat the weeds, of which they are fond. 

 They will soon clean a crop if it be such as they will not damage. 



